1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an adjustable rear view mirror for motor vehicles, such as cars, which has a bearing, such as a bearing plate, secured on a supporting arm, and a mirror element which may be adjusted with respect to this bearing between two tilt positions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Adjustable rear view mirrors for attachment to the inside of a vehicle and to the outside of its body are known. In the first-mentioned case, the mirror element is wedge-shaped in cross section and may be tilted about a generally horizontal axis, so that, depending on the tilt position, the front or the back of the mirror element causes most of the mirror reflection, in order that, upon the occurrence of dazzling light, the mirror may be brought into a non-dazzling position. On the other hand, in the case of external rear view mirrors having a mirror element adjustable between two positions, this element is mounted in a housing such that it may be tilted about a generally vertical axis, so that it is possible to adjust the mirror before changing lane, to detect the so-called dead angle. In the latter case, the mirror element may be adjusted via the indicator, i.e. the element is tilted into a position which detects the dead angle when the indicator lever is operated to indicate a change of lane, in particular when the driver is going to move into the overtaking lane.
In the case of adjustable rear view mirrors which are already known, the mirror element is adjusted mechanically by hand or electrically by means of electromotors or operating magnets. Adjustment by hand is a well known method of operation in the case of an internal rear view mirror, but it has the disadvantage that additional hand movements are necessary requiring the alertness of the driver and diverting his attention from the real task of observing what is happening on the road. Adjustment by means of electromotors or electromagnets is relatively complicated and thus expensive, because special drive elements, namely the electromotors or electromagnets, are necessary which increase the weight of the mirror and thus increase the risk of vibration.
An object of the present invention is to improve the adjustment of adjustable rear view mirrors for motor vehicles and to provide a novel, automatically operable adjusting device for the mirror element which is economically favourable and reliable in operation and does not unnecessarily increase the weight of the mirror.